This invention relates in general to a process for treating electrostatographic imaging members and, more specifically, to a process for removing adhesives from the interior of hollow cylindrical electrostatographic imaging members Electrostatographic imaging members, such as photoreceptors, are conventionally utilized for copiers and printers and comprise a hollow electrically conductive drum substrate, which has been dip coated with various coatings, including at least one photoconductive coating comprising pigment particles dispersed in a film-forming binder. These drum type photoreceptors are usually supported on an electrically conductive shaft by drum supporting hubs or end flanges. The hubs are usually constructed of plastic material and have a hole through their center into which a supporting axle shaft is inserted. Since hubs are usually constructed of electrically insulating plastic material, any suitable electrical grounding means such as a flexible spring steel metal strip is secured to the hub and positioned to contact both the electrically conductive axle shaft and the electrically conductive metal substrate of the photoreceptor drum. One type of grounding means is illustrated In U.S. Pat. No. 4,561,763.
Often the hub or end flange is secured to the end of the drum by a resin adhesive. The use of an adhesive increases the number of steps and complexity of equipment required to disassemble a hub and cylindrical member assembly. Recycling of used drums having glued hubs is difficult, if not impossible, because of damage to the hub, or to the drum or to both during removal of the hub from the drum by common techniques such as by hammering. Such removal techniques damage or destroy both the drum and the hub. Further, where disassembly is accomplished without damage, cleaning of both the hub and the cylindrical substrate is required to remove adhering adhesive. Such removal is particularly difficult when the adhesive is a thermosetting adhesive. Although solvents may be employed to remove thermoplastic adhesives, such solvents can damage drum coatings of new drums. Moreover, solvent handling requires complex equipment such as special solvent recovery units and is time intensive. Alternate methods such as mechanical abrasion or immersion in liquid nitrogen render the photoreceptor unusable due to distortion and mechanical abrasion.
Thus, there is a continuing need for improved photoreceptors that are more reliable and facilitate recycling.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,853,128 issued to Bowen et al. on Dec. 29, 1998xe2x80x94Method and apparatus are disclosed for controlling the exit velocity of solid/gas carbon dioxide spray cleaning systems. By increasing the pressure of liquid carbon dioxide in the supply line, typically In the range of 800-875 psi, to greater than 875 psi, preferably 2,000-5,000 psi and above, the velocity of the spray stream exiting the nozzle is increased enabling removal of contamination (oils, fingerprints, particles, graffiti, etc.) not removable with a spray stream using conventional carbon dioxide pressures. The apparatus includes the incorporation of a high-pressure pump in the liquid carbon dioxide supply line in combination with a nozzle having a first or inlet orifice smaller in diameter than the supply line and a second or exit orifice larger in diameter than the inlet orifice.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,782,263 issued to Isaacson, Jr. et al. on Jul. 21, 1998xe2x80x94A flood control device 200 is disclosed which measures the volume of fluid delivered in a continuous steady flow to a house or building and which shuts off the fluid flow if a preset maximum limit is reached, indicating overly high consumption due to a leak, break or open faucet in the plumbing of the house or building.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,766,368 issued to Bowers on Jun. 16, 1998xe2x80x94A method is disclosed of cleaning an integrated circuit chip module prior to attaching wire bonds thereto. The method involves disposing a module containing an integrated circuit chip and IC bond pads without wire bonds in an environmental process enclosure. A carbon dioxide jet spray cleaning system having a spray nozzle and orifice assembly is disposed the environmental process enclosure. A jet spray of carbon dioxide is generated using the jet spray cleaning system. The carbon dioxide jet spray is directed onto the surface of the module such that the spray impacts the IC bond pads and module bond pads to clean unwanted adhesive from the surface of the module and thus clean the IC and module bond pads.
U.S. No. 5,514,024 issued to Goenka on May 7, 1996xe2x80x94CO2 nozzle is disclosed which expels liquid CO2 under pressure through an orifice therein for converting the liquid into CO2 snow. The CO2 nozzle is contained within an elongated mixing cavity within a body which is coupled to an exhaust nozzle for directing the CO2 snow toward the workpiece. The CO2 nozzle includes several wings for creating aerodynamic turbulence within the elongated mixing cavity for enhancing the coagulation of the CO2 snow into larger CO2 snow particles or CO2 snowflakes.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,431,740 issued to Swain on Jul. 11, 1995xe2x80x94An apparatus is disclosed for cleaning cylindrical surfaces includes a plurality of cleaning stations. Each cleaning station is designed to receive a substrate and includes a plurality of nozzles. The inlet end of each nozzle is connected to a source of liquid Carbon Dioxide, and the outlet end of each nozzle is connected to one end of a respective Carbon Dioxide expansion chamber. Liquid Carbon dioxide leaving each nozzle is converted to solid Carbon Dioxide in the corresponding expansion chamber. The other end of each Carbon Dioxide expansion chamber is coupled to a respective funnel which is, in turn, connected to a dispersing saddle. The dispersing saddles disperse the stream of solid Carbon Dioxide particles leaving each funnel and direct these particles to the substrate surface. The dispersing saddles are placed such that the entire circumference of the substrate surface is enveloped within the various streams of solid Carbon Dioxide particles. In addition, the apparatus may include a source of a dry nonreactive gas which is introduced into each stream of solid Carbon Dioxide particles in order to reduce condensation on the surface from the surface of the substrate and to further direct each stream of solid Carbon Dioxide particles to the substrate surface.
U.S. Pat No. 5,372,652 issued to Srikrishnan et al. on Dec. 13, 1994xe2x80x94An aerosol cleaning apparatus is disclosed for cleaning a substrate includes an aerosol producing means having a nozzle head. The nozzle head is positioned at a selected proximity and orientation to the substrate which is held by a rotatable holder. The aerosol spray dislodges particles from the substrate and the rotation of the substrate further assists in the removal of the loosened particles. A method of aerosol cleaning includes rotating a substrate at a preselected speed and spraying an aerosol jet in conjunction with the rotation to help in the removal of particles from the substrate.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,294,261 issued to McDermott et al. on Mar. 15, 1994xe2x80x94A method is disclosed for cleaning microelectronic surfaces using an aerosol of at least substantially solid argon or nitrogen particles which impinge upon the surface to be cleaned and then evaporate and the resulting gas is removed by venting along with the contaminants dislodged by the cleaning method.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,209,028 to McDermott et al, issued May 11, 1993xe2x80x94An apparatus is disclosed for cleaning semi-conductor solid surfaces using a spray of frozen cryogen, such as argon, to impinge on the solid surface to remove contaminant particles. The apparatus includes an appropriate nozzle positioned in a housing designed for ultra clean conditions including sweep gas supply and evacuation conduits and a support table movably positioned within the housing to controllably convey the semi-conductor solid surface on a track under the spray of frozen cryogen emanating from the nozzle.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,062,898 issued to McDermott et al. on Nov. 5, 1991xe2x80x94A method is disclosed for cleaning microelectronics surfaces using an aerosol of at least substantially solid argon particles which impinge upon the surface to be cleaned and then evaporate and the resulting gas is removed by venting along with the contaminants dislodged by the cleaning method.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,426,311 issued to Vander Mey on Jan. 17, 1984xe2x80x94Methylene chloridemethane sulfonic acid compositions used in removing polymeric organic substances from inorganic substrates, such as polymeric adhesives from metal and lense glass parts and positive and negative photoresists from metallized silicon/silicon dioxide wafers, which comprise an effective amount, usually about 1 to 40 percent by weight methane sulfonic acid and the balance methylene chloride are described. Methods for using the above composition at ambient temperatures to remove the polymeric organic substances from the metal and non-metallic inorganic substrates are also described.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,191,201 issued to Barnsbee on Mar. 4, 1980xe2x80x94Plastic film cartridges generally comprise a variety of component parts plus a label affixed by adhesive to the cartridge housing. The cartridge housing (a plastic) is recyclable when the label and adhesive are removed and the housing is separated from the other non-compatible plastic and non-plastic cartridge components. In accordance with the invention, multi-stage reclaiming apparatus is disclosed wherein film cartridges are first rough chopped to provide physical separation of the cartridge components. The cartridge housing pieces are separated from other cartridge components on the basis of differences in specific gravity in a series of specific gravity separation tanks. To remove the labels and adhesive from the housing pieces, a separation tank contains a detergent solution capable of assisting in dissolving the adhesive. The tank is provided with a group of heating elements to cause the detergent solution to boil in the immediate vicinity thereof. As housing pieces travel past the heating elements they are rolled around, swirled and submerged and each housing piece with a label portion adhered thereto is exposed to the boiling detergent solution. The adhesive is thus dissolved and the label portions are driven off the housing pieces.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,616,067 to Goenka, issued Apr. 1, 1997xe2x80x94In an apparatus for cleaning a workpiece with abrasive CO2 particles, a CO2 nozzle receives and expels liquid CO2 through at least one orifice sized for at least partially converting the liquid into CO2 particles. The CO2 particles are injected into a converging-diverging nozzle at a location adjacent to the throat section thereof. Pressurized air is directed into the converging section of the nozzle upstream from the throat section. The pressurized air accelerates the CO2 particles which are focused by the diverging section of the nozzle for impacting the pressure-sensitive surface of the workpiece to be cleaned.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,390,450 to Goenka, issued Feb. 21, 1995xe2x80x94A CO2 nozzle receives and expels liquid CO2 through orifices sized for converting the CO2 liquid into CO2 snow. A body, defining an elongated cavity therein, is coupled to the CO2 nozzle such that the CO2 snow is ejected into the cavity. An exhaust nozzle is coupled to the body and the cavity therein for directing the pressurized CO2 snow toward the workpiece. The exhaust nozzle is operated in an overexpanded mode for containing the shockwave within the nozzle for reducing the shear noise therefrom. Pressurized air is injected into the elongated cavity for exhausting the CO2 snow under pressure.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,679,062 to Goenka, issued Oct. 21, 1997xe2x80x94An apparatus and method for cleaning a workpiece with abrasive CO2 snow operates with a nozzle for creating and expelling the snow. The nozzle includes an upstream section defined by a first contour for receiving CO2 in a gaseous form. The nozzle also includes a downstream section for directing the flow of the CO2 and the snow toward the workpiece, with the downstream section having a second contour optimized for supersonic flow of the CO2. The nozzle includes a throat section, interposed between the upstream and downstream sections, for changing the CO2 from gaseous phase to an intermediate mixture of CO2 gas, liquid and snow within the downstream section at a speed of at least Mach 1.1. A turbulence cavity section is interposed between the throat section and the downstream section for inducing both turbulence within the CO2 gas flowing therethrough, thereby increasing the nucleation and agglomeration of the CO2 within a snow zone defined within the downstream section. The throat, upstream, turbulence cavity and downstream sections of the nozzle may be manufactured from silicon micromachined surfaces.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,976,264 to McCullough et al, issued Nov. 2, 1999xe2x80x94A method for the removal of fluorine or chlorine residue from an etched precision surface such as a semiconductor sample is provided which comprises exposing said precision surface to liquid CO2 under appropriate conditions that are sufficient to remove the residue from the precision surface. Cryogenic aerosol may be used in conjunction with liquid CO2.
U.S. Pat No. 5,836,809 to Kosic, issued Nov. 17, 1998xe2x80x94In accordance with the teachings of the present invention, an apparatus and method for cleaning large glass plates each having first and second major surfaces is provided. The apparatus (10) includes an enclosure (14) which maintains a cleaning environment in which a glass plate (42) is decontaminated. An actuated support member (40) vertically translates the glass plate (42) into the enclosure (14) where it is supported with its first (46) and second (48) major surfaces substantially perpendicular to a ground plane defined by the floor space (12) occupied by the apparatus (10). A pair of opposing arrays of jet spray nozzles (62 and 64) coupled to a pressurized supply of liquid carbon dioxide (94) is provided for simultaneously directing carbon dioxide snow particles (96) in directions of the first and second major surfaces (46 and 48) of the glass plate (42), thereby removing contamination therefrom. The carbon dioxide snow particles (96) sublime within the cleaning environment of the enclosure (14).
U.S. Pat. No. 5,108,512 to Goffnett et al, issued on Apr. 28, 1992xe2x80x94A process is disclosed for the cleaning of the inner surfaces of a chemical vapor deposition reactor used in the production of polycrystalline silicon. The process comprises impacting the surfaces to be cleaned with solid carbon dioxide pellets. The carbon dioxide pellets dislodge silicon deposits from the surface of the reactor without damaging the surface of the reactor and without providing a source for contamination of polycrystalline silicon produced in the cleaned reactor. The present process is particularly useful for the cleaning of the inner surfaces of chemical vapor deposition reactors used in the production of semi-conductor grade silicon.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,630,196 to Swain, issued May 13, 1997xe2x80x94A hollow cylinder supporting end flange is disclosed comprising a disk shaped member having a circular periphery and a coil spring having a major plane substantially parallel to the major plane of the disk shaped member, an exposed arcuate outer periphery having a diameter larger than the inside diameter of the hollow cylinder, an outer exposed end and an inner end, the inner end comprising a section secured to the end flange and the exposed arcuate outer periphery of the coil spring being adjacent the circular periphery of the disk shaped member for engagement with a hollow cylindrical member upon insertion of the coil spring into the hollow cylindrical member. This end flange may be utilized as a component of an assembly comprising a hollow cylindrical electrostatographic imaging member having a circular cross section and an inner surface, and an end flange secured to at least one end of the hollow cylindrical member by means of a partially wound coil spring, the spring having an inner end and an outer end, the inner end being secured to the end flange and the outer end having an exposed arcuate outer surface in frictional contact with the inner surface of the hollow cylindrical member.
U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/210,186, entitled xe2x80x9cMOUNTING ELECTROSTATOGRAPHIC END FLANGExe2x80x9d filed on Dec. 11, 1998, in the names of Swain et alxe2x80x94A process is disclosed for fabricating an electrostatographic imaging member assembly including providing a hollow electrostatographic drum having a first end and a second end, the first end having a surface selected from the group consisting of an uncoated surface, a surface coated with only a first component of for a multiple component adhesive, a surface coated with only a second component for the multiple component adhesive, the second component being containing a fluorescent tracer which fluoresces when irradiated with activating radiation, and a surface coated with a mixture of the first component and the second component containing the fluorescent tracer, directing activating radiation at the surface of the first end, detecting the amount of fluorescence emitted from the surface of the first end, and generating a signal which is substantially proportional to the intensity of fluorescence emitted from the surface of the first end, the signal ranging through at least three levels of strength, the first level representing an uncoated surface or a surface coated with only the first component, the second level representing a mixture of the first component and the second component containing the fluorescent tracer, and the third level representing only the second component containing the fluorescent tracer. Apparatus for carrying out this process is also disclosed.
U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/627,880, entitled xe2x80x9cPROCESS FOR ROUGHENING A SURFACExe2x80x9d filed concurrently herewith, in the names of P. Perry et al. A process is disclosed including providing a member having an exposed outer metal surface and propelling irregularly shaped solid carbon dioxide granules against the exposed outer metal surface with sufficient force to alter the texture of the outer metal surface to a predetermined surface roughness.
U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/628,258, entitled xe2x80x9cPROCESS FOR REMOVING COATINGSxe2x80x9d filed concurrently herewith, in the names of G. Arserio et al. A process is disclosed including providing a substrate having an outer surface having coatings thereon including an undercoat layer and at least one electrophotoactive layer, and propelling solid carbon dioxide irregular granules against the coating to remove the at least one electrophotoactive layer from the undercoat layer.
It is, therefore, an object of the present invention to provide an improved process for removing glued end flanges from the ends of hollow cylindrical electrostatographic imaging members.
It is another object of the present invention to provide an improved process for removing glued end flanges from the ends of hollow cylindrical electrostatographic imaging members which is environmentally safe.
It is still another object of the present invention to provide an improved process for removing glued end flanges from the ends of hollow cylindrical electrostatographic imaging members which does not damage the interior surface.
It is yet another object of the present invention to provide an improved process for removing glued end flanges from the ends of hollow cylindrical electrostatographic imaging members which does not distort the end flanges and the imaging members.
It is another object of the present invention to provide an improved process for removing glued end flanges from the ends of hollow cylindrical electrostatographic imaging members that does not generate additional hazardous wastes or hydrocarbon emissions into the air.
The foregoing objects and others are accomplished in accordance with this invention by providing a process for treating an electrostatographic imaging member comprising a hollow cylindrical electrostatographic imaging member having an interior surface, a coated outer surface, a first end and a second end, the interior surface at at least the first end having an end flange secured thereto with an adhesive material, and propelling solid carbon dioxide pellets against the end flange and adhesive to thermally shock and remove the end flange and adhesive material from the interior surface at at least the first end of the hollow cylindrical electrostatographic imaging member.